Chiron Healthcare at Home Northampton Branch

Updated 13 October 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 26 September 2022 and ended on 30 September 2022. We visited the location’s office on 26 September 2022, and made phone calls to people on 30 September 2022.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service, and one relative of a person who used the service. We also spoke with four staff members, the deputy manager, and the provider. We looked at multiple records during our inspection, including care plans, staff files, medication records, call logs and training records.

Updated 13 October 2022

About the service

Chiron Healthcare at Home Northampton Branch is a care at home service providing the regulated activity of personal care to 21 people at the time of this inspection. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were protected from the risk of abuse and neglect and risks to people’s health were assessed to reduce risks. There were enough staff to provide safe care to people in their homes.

Medicines were safely administered. Staff followed infection control policies and procedures, including COVID-19 guidance to reduce the risk of the spread of infection. Systems were in place to ensure that accidents and incidents were recorded and acted upon.

People had their needs assessed prior to receiving personal care. Staff were inducted effectively into the service and trained. Staff received regular supervision to develop their roles. Where needed people were supported with their meals and to maintain a balanced diet. Referrals were made to other health and social care professionals as and when required.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and their relatives were listened to and were able to make decisions about their care. Staff were kind, caring and respectful. Care was provided in a dignified and respectful way.

People’s received person-centred care. People were able to make choices about the way they wanted their care to be provided. A complaints policy and system were in place so that any complaints could be dealt with appropriately. People felt able to raise concerns with staff and management if needed.

The management team had a good understanding of the regulatory requirements of their roles. People’s feedback on the quality of care was sought. People told us they felt the service was well managed, and communication was good. Systems were in place to monitor and check on all areas of the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

This service was registered with us on 22 June 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.